Archangel Armor (armor)
Archangel Armor is an advanced body armor in XCOM: Enemy Unknown. In-Game Description Production Specifications Prerequisites: Archangel Armor (Research) Production Time: Immediate Engineers: 35 Production Cost: * *44 Alloys *30 Elerium Tactical Info XCOM: Enemy Within amends this with: Equipment Abilities Flight Traits Foundry Upgrades Notes * Toggling Flight mode does not cost an action or end the turn. Movement or elevation changes while in flight costs 1 fuel unit and 1 action. ** Fuel cost is unrelated to the number of tiles traversed during a movement. Traveling one tile or the maximum possible in one action both consume one unit of fuel. ** Hovering in a stationary position does not consume fuel. * Flying ''does ''confer an elevated-position bonus, but the soldier must fly higher than normal, which takes an action. * Using Archangel Armor with a Sniper with the Damn Good Ground ability can make any enemy, even Sectopods, less of a danger. Also, this largely removes the issue of seeking out and securing a "nest" for a Squadsight Sniper - at the cost of one action point and one fuel unit, an unrivaled firing position can often be achieved without leaving the original drop zone. * Has a bug that can cause a flying unit to get stuck in buildings or ship structure, also can occur if the soldier runs out of fuel over an obstacle that normally cannot be walked on. Prevents the wearer from moving, including ceasing to fly, but can still shoot and/or die. * In multiplayer the fuel is restricted to 6 units and cannot receive the Advanced Flight upgrade by any means. Pros and Cons Class-based differentiation collected to one place. Assault Soldier * CON - Hovering high up to an improvised snipers' nest not only does not confer any bonuses, but it literally creates range penalties for the Shotgun-type weapon. This means one of the uses of the armor is counterproductive. * CON - Hovering to simply a high position also defeats a chance to use Close Combat Specialist. * CON - Flying to destinations may get the user into more trouble than what Lightning Reflexes could handle. * CON - Flying for an Assault is inferior to Muscle Fiber Density, due to it closing distances much easier for a commander to order. * PRO - Flying obstacle crossing may be used to close distance between a Shotgun-type weapon and a target, more precisely by going along airway shortcuts. This also makes Run & Gun have a longer distance. (Killer Instinct also comes into relevance.) * PRO - Counts as Heavy Armor for Extra Conditioning. * PRO - Hovering may be used to get to a location where Close and Personal can be relevant. * PRO - May be used to easily initiate Tactical Sense or Aggression. * PRO - If exposing himself by flying, can make good use of Bring 'Em On. * PRO - Hovering high may be a solution to easily obtain one or more targets to use Flush on, which in turn mostly does not suffer too much range penalty. * PRO - When managing to hover close to hostiles, may make use of Rapid Fire. Heavy Soldier * CON - Although just a visual fault, the back holstered Rocket Launcher clips through one of the jet pack engines. If a player wants to feel more invested in gameplay imagining the highest possible realism behind it, this takes people out of the experience and disconnects with one's troops. * CON - Although not as severe as with the Assault, hovering high and not approaching a target still creates reasonable range penalties for the primary weapon, and this is a state to be reckoned with in the case of the Heavy, who does not have the best Aim in the squad. * CON - Flying does not let Will to Survive take its effect. * CON - Hovering to a different elevation than starting ground level still counts as moving and thus disables the Rocket Launcher for the turn. * PRO - It's easier to get the soldier into a location where the next turn Bullet Swarm might just come in handy. * PRO - Hovering high creates more targets easily for shooting and Suppression. (Beware the beforementioned range penalty.) * PRO - Because of the previous two points, Holo Targeting also can take it's effect easily. * PRO - On rare occasions, even Rapid Reaction can activate. * PRO - Sometimes the only place where a successful rocket firing can take place is a high hovering position set up in the previous round. Support Soldier * CON - The only negative aspect here is that hovering neglects cover, and exposes this soldier who is not made for tanking or soaking up damage. * PRO - High hovering range penalty not severe. * PRO - Hovering obstacle-crossing far stride stacks with Sprinter. * PRO - Hovering obstacle-crossing helps a medic using Medkits, Field Medic, Revive, and Saviour to get to the ones in need. * PRO - High hovering is a great way to set up Covering Fire. * PRO - High hovering is a great way to use Sentinel. * PRO - High hovering is a great way to get targets for Rifle Suppression. * PRO - Flying to a destination may sometimes be the only chance to get a Smoke Grenade to a much needed location. Sniper Soldier * CON - Although it can be considered hugely irrelevant for such a long range combatant, but hovering still does neglect cover. * CON - Hovering disables Low Profile by neglecting cover. * CON - The ability of flight more or less defeats the purpose of actually needing a Battle Scanner. * CON - High stationary hovering can take away the usefulness of Gunslinger. * CON - Hovering elevation changes or outright moving disables the use of a Sniper-type weapon as per usual when moving, unless the soldier has Snap Shot. * PRO - High hovering into an improvised snipers' nest is the most powerful strategy with a Sniper, and does not need high ground anymore. * PRO - Hovering high above the directly below located ground level does confer "usual elevated position bonus", separately stacks with Damn Good Ground, and enables Evasion. This is a 3 fold bonus. * PRO - High hovering can enable a Squadsight Sniper to fire at enemies otherwise not in line of sight when otherwise standing on ground. * PRO - Hovering high gives near-total freedom for Headshot on relatively flat open ground. * PRO - Hovering high gives near-total freedom for Disabling Shot on relatively flat open ground. * PRO - Hovering high makes In The Zone much more relevant. (Squadsight recommended.) * PRO - Hovering high makes Double Tap easier to utilize. (Squadsight recommended.) * PRO - Hovering high brings out the most of Opportunist. Gallery Concept - Armor1.jpg|Concept Art XCOM(EU)_ArchangelArmor_Standard.png|A soldier testing out his new Archangel Armor. Archangel Armor posing at base.png|A soldier shows off his tinted Archangel Armor. XCOM(EU)_ArchangelArmor_InFlight.png|A soldier in Archangel Armor hovers over the battlefield. Category:Armors (XCOM: Enemy Unknown)